Mechanical photograph and blue-print drier.



G. F. SAUNDERS.

MECHANIC/(L PHOTOGRAPH AND BLUE PRINT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1,1918.

1 ,3@ 1 ,?5@, Patented. Apr. 22, 1919.

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C. F. SAUNDERS.

MECHANICAL PHOTOGRAPH AND BLUE PRINT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED Novi918 1 ,3Q1 {750, katented Apr. 22, 1919.

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C.F.SAUNDERS.5

MECHANICAL PHOTOGRAPH AND BLUE PRINT DRIER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1.191a.

1,3M 97w Patented Apr. 22,1919.

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MECHANICAL PHOTOGRAPH MD BLUE-PRINT mama.-

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apia, $2, lldll t,

Application filed November 1, 191a. Serial 1110. 260,723.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIFTON F. SAUNDERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ancon, Ganal Zone, Panama, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Mechanical Photograph and Blue-Print Driers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved print drier'sor oven adapted'toquickly .dry photographs and blue prints after the same have been washedto remove the chemicals therefrom.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide. a mechanicalphotograph and blue print drying oven employing flat heating platesdesigned to replace the ordinary drum as generally employed in printdrying machines, the device being constructed with a view to simplicityand economical productionas well as economy in operating the device,especially for heat or fuel for drying purposes, all of the parts of theheating device being arranged within an oven whereby to quickly absorb,the moisture from the photograph or print paper and to dry the apronupon the return thereof to a position to dry other prints, which dryingis accomplished quickly to facilitate rapidity in business, therebyreducing the cost of upkeep.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved print dryingmachine or oven, which comprises a simple frame construction adapted tosupport the opera-- tive parts of the drying mechanism including a pairof aprons between which the photograph or print is run, the device beingadapted to be rotated in any suitable manner preferably by means of asmall motor properly geared to the operative mechanism to cause theprint to pass through the machine in from two to three minutes so as toaccomplishefiicient drying Without the necessity of using blotters,reironing to dry or prevent curling, the device bemg also constructedwith a View 'to lightness of weight, particularly by avoiding the use ofa large heating drum directly exposed to cooling and for this purpose,disposing the drying mechanism within an oven which forms thesubstantial characteristics of the device, for eficiently drying thephotograph or print paper and delivering the same for immediate use.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention comprises thenovel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangementof parts which will-be more fully described in the followingspecificatlon and set forth with particularity in the claims which areappended hereto and which form an essential part of the same.

Reference is had to the accompanying draw ngs forming a part of thisapplicaticn, wherein similar reference characters W111 refer tocorresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improyed mechanical photograph and print dryingoven,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the machine,

3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sect1onal view transversely of thedevice at the discharge end,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one ofthe tension members for taking up slack in an apron or to allow forstretching and shrinkmg of the same, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of said apron tightening or tensionmembers.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved photograph and blueprint dry mg oven is shown as comprising a frame 10 including twotriangularly shaped opposed side frames 11 disposed with the baseportions 12 thereof on an incline,.with one side 13 horizontallydisposed and the other side 14 also disposed in an inclined position ata greater inclination than the base 12. The base 12 is disposed on anincline of about sixty degrees from the vertical or thirty degrees fromthe horizontal, while the reverse applies to the side portion 14, which'latter is disposed at an angle of about sixty degrees from thehorizontal and about thirty degrees from the vertical. All of the frameparts are preferably constructed of angle iron, the frame being suitablyconnected and supported upon corner legs 15 and 16 respectively disposedat the feed and discharge ends thereof as shown.

Arranged over the frame except at the ends thereof, is a casing or oven17, the same being preferably of light sheet metal and substantiallyrectangular in plan, so as to inclose the heating and drying elementsand to protect the same from the cooling efl'ect of external atmosphere.This casing is preferably made up of two side portions 18, a top- 19which is formed integral with did till

the ends 20 and 21,'and a bottom portion all secured to the frame andalso serving to rigidity the latter upon the legs 15 and 16 aspreviously explained.

The receiving portion or table of the frame is designated 23 and at thiscorner of the frame, there is disposed a roller 24 preferably about oneand a half inches diameter, while disposed at the apex of the frame,that is the meeting ends of the'portions or sides 13 and 14, is a largedrum or roller 25 forming the feed roller and drive roller of thedevice, the same being journaled through the medium of a shaft 26.Journaled'in the side portions of the frame adjacent to and beneath theroller or drum 25, are smaller rollers 27 and 28, while journaled in theside portions 13 of the casing is a roller 29 disposed between therollers 24 and 27.

Journaled in the side portions 14 of the frame at the bottom portion ofthe wall 21 is a roller 30 and immediately below, at the extreme side orpoint of intersection of the side portion 14 with the base 12 asdistinguished from the location of the roller 24 at the oint ofintersection of the side 13 of the ase 12, is a roller 31. Disposed ortrained over the rollers 24, 25 and 31 is a drying belt or apron 32, thesame passing under the rollers 27 and 28 before passing over the roller25 and around the same for a maximum portion of its circumference, whilealso passing under the rollers 29 and 30 to be driven by the roller 25and other means, as will be subsequently described. Coiiperating withthe drying belt or apron 32 is a drying belt or apron 33, the same beingdisposed under the rollers 27 and 28 and over the roller 25 and thenpassing around the rollers 29 and 30. The top lap of the belt isdisposed over a roller 34 journaled in triangular side plates 35 abovethe roller 25, WhlOh plates also serve in conjunction with the apex ofthe frameproduced by the side portions 13 and 14, to i'otatably supportthe shaft 26 of the roller 25.

The parts are designed to be driven in the directions indicated by thearrows and the upper lap of the belt or apron 32 and the lower lap ofthe apron 33 are designed to pass over flat drying plates 36 and 37disposed between the slde portion 13 and the side portion 14 adjacent tothe apex of the same and over a heating space indicated at 38 designedto receive therein suitable heating means such as electricity, gas orotherwise. As shown, the base portions 12 have supported therein,heating elements 39 adapted to be electrically operated at any wellknown way as well as controlled and regulated to secure the exactdesired degree of heat within the oven to more efficiently dry theprints or the like.

Thus, it will be seen that as heat is supplied within the oven, theplates 36 and 37 neonate will be heated and thereby when the print paperis fed into the machine, it is placed upon the exposed lap of the apron32 indicated at 23 and caused to pass through the slot 40 and betweenthe aprons 32 and 33, being thereby dried and discharged through theopening 41 into a receivin pan, in a thoroughly dry and flat condition.The belts take up the moisture from the photographs and prints, owing tothe latter being wet from washing them to remove the chemicals and asthey are returned, the idle portions of the apron are dried. The apronstherefore are caused to stretch and shrink successively, andtherefore itis necessary to provide means for taking u the slack or allowing for theshrinkage. a plurality of idle rollers or tension members are provided,the same comprising roll ers 43 carried upon the ends of arms 44piezoted as shown at 45 in the res ective portions 12, 13 and 14 of theframe, t e pivots thereof being engaged by coiled springs indicated at46, one end of each spring bemg anchored photographs or prints arepositively delivered in a dry and flat condition.

In order to impart rotation to the rollers and also the aprons or belts,for moving the latter in the drying operation, as previously explained,the roller 25 which is drive roller, is suitably driven. For thispurpose, the frame is preferably provided with a bracket or stand 47upon which is supported a small electric motor 48, constituting anindividual drive for each machine. It is essential that the parts bedriven slowly so as to take about two or three minutes for the paper topass through the machine in orderto thorou hl dry the same, andfor thispur ose the shaft of the motor is provided wit a. worm as shown at 49adapted to mesh with'a worm or this purpose,

gear 50 journaled in the side of the or otherwise. This worm gearcarries a spur gear 51 meshing with a larger spur gear 52, which lattergear carries a smaller gear 53 meshing with a larger gear 54 in turnmeshing with a smaller gear 55 which drives the shaft 26 from a gear 56,this constituting a positive, steady and slow drive, sufiicient erationand advantages of my invention may be had, and while have shown anddescribed the device as embodying a specific structure, I desire that itbe understood that such changes may be made in-said structure as do notdepart from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a mechanical drier for photographs,

1 blue prints and the like, a frame comprising substantially triangularside portions suitably connected, supporting means therefor, a pluralityof hot plates supported by the frame, a casing over the same producingan oven, and heating and drying aprons movably supported by the frameand designed to receive and deliver the photographs, blue prints and thelike, heating means within the casing supported by the frame and drivemeans for said aprons.

2. In a mechanical drier of the class described, a pair of triangularframes with one side disposed on a horizontal plane and the other sidedisposed on an incline, the base also being'disposed at an incline, saidhorizontal portion constituting a receiving portlon, an apron mounted tomove around said frame, an apron cooperatlng therewith and end portionsthereof.

3. The combination with a table suitably su ported, of rollers journaledin the table, a

pair of belts disposed with one lap in contact with one lap of theother, movable over said table tension means for the laps disposedremote from each other and lncluding spring pressed rollers actin onsaid laps, a drive roller around whic both of said laps operate, rollersadjacent to and beneath said last named roller, heating means beneaththe cooperative lap, and means for driving said drive roller at arelatively slow speed.

In testimony whereof, I aflix mysignature hereto.

CLIFTON F. SAUNDERS.

